Other Services Offered
The Rutland Skin Center provides a number cosmetic treatments to improve the appearance of common skin growths, as discussed below.
Angioma removal
Angiomas are benign small red spots we develop on our skin as we get older. They are more common on the trunk but can occur on other areas as well. Spider angiomas are a type of angioma with little legs of vessels attached to the center portion that are often found on the face and nose in adults and children. Angiomas don’t need to be treated, but if they get irritated by clothing, or bleed they can be removed with an electrical needle, lasers and intense pulsed light.
Skin tag removal
Skin tags are small growths of skin that some people develop on the face, neck, eyelids, underarms, and the groin. The medical name is acrochordon. We don’t know what causes them but we know that they are harmless tough they can get irritated. You are likely to have inherited the tendency to develop skin tags from your mother or father. Skin tags do not need treatment but are often removed for cosmetic reasons. If skin tags become sore from rubbing on clothing or jewelry or if you find them unsightly, they can be removed by freezing or by cutting them off. Healing is usually complete in a week or two. New skin tags usually grow even if all existing ones are removed.
Milia – cyst removal
Milia are tiny pearly white to yellowish cysts that are commonly found on the face. No treatment is needed but they can be opened with a needle or scalpel blade and drained with pressure. There is no other effective treatment but topical tretinoin cream (Retin A) can be tried to see if it prevents new milia from forming.
Seborrheic keratosis (raised brown age spot) removal
Seborrheic Keratosis (SKs) are very common growths that usually appear after the age of forty. SKs appear on both covered and uncovered parts of the body. The tendency to develop SKs is inherited. They are harmless and almost never become malignant. SKs begin as slightly raised, light brown spots. Gradually they thicken and take on a rough, wartlike surface. They slowly darken and may turn dark brown. As one ages more of these spots develop. There is no medical need to treat SKs and some insurance companies will not cover the cost to have them treated unless they itch, hurt or are irritated. SKs can be frozen with liquid nitrogen, cut off, or burned off with an electric needle. The treated sites can sometimes leave permanent white spots but these usually look better than the SK did.
Lentigo (flat brown age spot) removal
Brown age spots, also known by the medical name lentigo or lentigines, are harmless, flat, brown discolorations of the skin that usually occur on the back of the hands, arms, neck, chest, shoulders and face of adults. They are caused by years of sun exposure, are harmless and do not usually need to be treated. Liquid nitrogen therapy is the quickest way to get rid of age spots but must be done carefully to try to avoid leaving a permanent white spot. Age spots can also be treated with retinoid creams, chemical peels, bleaching creams, lasers and intense pulsed light therapy.
Sebaceous (oil) gland treatment
Sebaceous hyperplasia is the medical term for enlarged oil glands that frequently occur on the forehead, cheeks and nose. These small bumps are white, yellow, pink or orange in color. They often have a little indentation in the center. These are more common in patients with an oily complexion. They can be treated with topical medications, or destroyed with acid applications, electric needles, freezing or surgery. Use of a small electric needle is the most practical way of treating enlarged oil glands.
Chemical peels
Chemical peels are used to improve the texture of the skin while improving the apperarance of fine lines, wrinkles and age spots. It typically takes a week or more for the skin to peel, so one has to plan on some down time.
